5 Educational Technology Tools for Future Special Educators

Hey future special education teachers,  

I am so excited to be sharing with you some tips and tricks to help you along your journey of becoming a special educator of excellence. Whether you are just starting out as a freshman, finishing up your first semester, or heading towards the end of your college career, this post is full of gems for you to use in your classroom (whether it’s a field class or student teaching).   

When it comes to educational technology, make sure that the standards and content come first; then factor in educational technology. Don’t let edtech drive the teaching bus so to speak – focus on the outcomes and objectives then think how educational technology can support learning.  

Alright, now let’s jump right in with some of my favorite educational technology tools to create an accessible learning environment for all students.

• Read & Write Google Chrome Extension – This toolbar assists students through text to speech support, highlighting options, and more with this easy-to-use extension. For more information, check here and here. 

• Immersive Reader – Using immersive reader students can listen to text read aloud, increase font size, adjust spacing between lines and characters, change the contrast of background and text colors, access to picture dictionary, translation, and more!  

• Wakelet -  With Wakelet, you can create dynamic content for students to interact with to learn more about a topic. For example, you can add text, images, video, links, PDFs, and more. You can even add in a Google or Microsoft form to assess learning as they go.  

• Newsela - Students can keep up to date with current events or other topics such as art, science, and sports. Provide students with passages differentiated by lexicon and quiz options to assess for understanding.  

• December agenda freebie – This is a freebie I developed to get organized for finals and end the semester strong. If you’re interested, you can find it here! 

Educational technology can support students in being successful in the classroom. Share on social media your favorite tools to facilitate learning in the classroom!